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Written by a theologian who is not a resident of the “Hexagon”, this article provides a critical and comparative perspective on the new book, Texte national pour l’orientation de la catéchèse en France et principes d’organisation, published by the French bishops’ conference. The author starts by presenting the general structure of the book, composed mainly of two texts: one normative and the other prescriptive. He then gives an analysis of the specific authority of both texts and of their content, going on to compare the book to other catechetical works published in the Americas and, more specifically, by the Assembly of Quebec bishops. The main idea of the present study concerns the choice made by the French bishops, with Rome’s approbation, to approach catechesis through the pedagogy of initiation and of accompaniment instead of through the acquisition of theological knowledge. By doing so, they seek to gather people around the Word of God within a living community.